Nam chooses new partner for US Open campaign

Ly Hoang Nam will pair with Japanese Akira Santillan to compete at the US Open's junior tourney. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam's Ly Hoang Nam will pair with Japanese Akira Santillan to compete at the US Open's junior circuit next month.

Nam failed to team up with Sumit Nagal, who had lifted the Wimbledon trophy with him a month a ago as the Indian is not playing in New York.

"I contacted to ask Akira to pair with me. He has very powerful serves and forehand," the world junior No 12 said about his partner who, when playing as a team with Relley Opelka, had lost to Nam and Nagal in the Wimbledon boys' doubles final match.

"It is the first time we are playing together, so I just hope we could play well but we are not setting up any target," he added.

Akira, 18, is No 8 in the world junior rankings. He defeated Nam in the second round of the Australian Open in January and later in the finals of the Chang Thailand ITF Junior.

His best result is being in the finals of the Wimbledon's boys' doubles and reaching the semi-finals of the Australia Open's boys singles.

Nam will also take part in the boys' singles category.

The US Open will begin on August 31 and last till September 9. The junior competition is from September 6.

Nam and his coach Christian Brydniak are leaving on August 4 for Egypt to take part in three Men's Future events where he says he expects to deal with his nervousness in competition as well as improve his serves and long forehands.

After Egypt, he will fly to New York for training on hard court and the local weather conditions. — VNS